Yvonne and Roger

Yvonne and Roger came to stay again this year and we had a great time, lots of good company and explored new things.  As they had been the year before, we had a quick scoot around Cathedral Square, Ajustament and Place Reina to remind them of the place.

By the fountain in Cathedral Square

They rather took to the Agua de Valencia, and mine was an enormous Vermouth, which went straight to my knees.

We took the business out to the beach on Sunday to a restaurant called Casa Carmela, which came highly recommended.

Yvonne having an eating problem! she missed her mouth.....

Paellas cooked on a wood fire.

After scoffing a huge and lovely lunch, we had to take a long, long walk along the beach to walk some of it off, at least.

Unfortunately Monday was very wet, so we went to the Oceanographic Centre and spent our day perfectly dry under lots of water, looking a fishy things..... and a few birds.

As you can see rather liked the Medusas

Oh and these as well :o)

And now for something completely different.  Yvonne asked to go to Manises, which is suburb of Valencia, once the most central place for ceramics production in the region.  You can get there easily by tube, out near the airport.

The Moors first brought the craft with them and it was taken over by the locals, when the moors were expelled from Spain.

It has various museums, loads of ceramic shops, craft centres and a few ceramic fabricas still making traditional ceramics, and off course wall times and floors.

We visited a Museum and a working Fabrica.  What a treat.  Yvonne was in heaven.

The whole town, as expected is cover in tiles, all the houses as well.  And billboards down each street telling you the history of the place.

The Town museum

An old tiled kitchen transported to the Museum

What a beautiful floor from a Palacio

Art Deco Tiles - I want!

Modern ceramic art.

And of course Yvonne couldn't leave without buying two beautiful large bowls which she arranged to ship home.  The package also contained three small bowls for me.... lovely.

Not quire sure!, but tiles columns in the tube station.  Lots of naked females.

Other tiled columns in the tube station.

A cow!

Beautiful wall art

There is a park in town with tiled depictions of Spanish history, Walt Disney style.

Lovely door knockers

Wanding around Valencia - a Cat Flap

On the last day we went to a contemporary art space in an old Covent.  Bit bizarre, but fun!

Oh! and more of the masked marauder!

And to finish on The Picture of the Lady with the Big Boobies.... in a Paella Pan, of course.

Sadly, Yvonne and Roger had to go home......soooooo much more to do and see.